“I live in constant fear of contracting the virus”: The reality of Covid-19 in Kenya

At the beginning of the pandemic, I lost a lot of business. As a farmer who grows cow peas to sell at the local market, when the markets closed, there were reduced sales from customers. At the same time, the price of basic commodities shot up which made it even harder. [Due to lockdowns and curfews] I can no longer travel to the next town to pick stock to sell.

Since my children went back to school, I have constantly struggled because I lost my income streams. I cannot take them to good hospitals because I can no longer afford it and I live in constant fear of contracting the virus.

I’ve tried as much as possible to explain to my children what Covid-19 is and constantly remind them to wash their hands and maintain good hygiene. I also bought them masks to put on when they are going to school or to the shops and stopped them from playing with the rest of the children from the neighbourhood.

In my community, things have been really bad.

People who depended on their employed relatives in bigger cities are now missing this support, as the majority of people have lost their jobs. Crime rates have gone up in my community since people lost their source of income, and teenage pregnancies among girls have also increased because most girls are now involved in sexual activities to provide for their families.

Those who are lucky enough to still be employed are also suffering, because the increased prices of goods and a relatively low income means they are struggling to sustain their families.

At the moment, so many people are going to bed hungry due to the surge in food prices and the drought that has hit Turkana in the last few months. Pastoralists, who form the biggest population here, fear taking their animals to new grazing land since they are frightened of coming into contact with other farmers from the nearby town, which is perceived as a Covid-infected zone.

I miss attending the local “chamas” (community get-togethers) where we used to raise money as a group and give loans to each other for our businesses as women. I also miss attending church since it is currently closed following the government directive and visiting my close friends. People are no longer visiting each other and we are losing the social ties, becoming more reclusive and self-centred as we struggle to cope with the situation.

Despite this, I am grateful for spending more time with my children, as it has given me an opportunity to educate them on good morals. This has also been an opportunity to save on the costs that I would normally use to entertain guests who used to visit regularly.

Through our Coronavirus Emergency Appeal, we’ve been tackling Covid-19 in Kenya by improving people’s access to clean water, providing cash transfers so people can buy food and necessities, and supplying soap and hand sanitiser to prevent the spread of the virus. Our awareness campaigns are ensuring that people receive accurate information about the virus, and we’re training healthcare workers to recognise and tackle the symptoms of Covid-19.